A blanket of low-lying cloud has swept across Southampton in the past few days, casting a dull gloom across the city.

Sunshine has not touched the city for more than a week while the UK has been in the grasp of an “anticyclonic gloom”.

The south of England has so far had an average of one hour of sunshine so far this month, according to the Met Office, while by this point it should have had 11 times that amount.

As dramatic weather events have hit the headlines across the world, Britain’s meteorological talking point has been the windless, rainless, sunless murk which has enveloped much of the country since the beginning of the month.

Stephen Dixon of the Met Office said, “atmospheric gloom” is when “high pressure traps a layer of moisture near to the earth’s surface and that brings a prolonged period of dull and cloudy weather, but with pockets of mist and fog as well”.

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He added: “We’ve been locked into this weather pattern for a few days now and we’ve got a bit more of it to come. However, there is a change on the way, with brighter skies early next week.”

Mr Dixon said the “atmospheric gloom” is “unusual but not unheard of” but has meant that the UK has so-far had only five per cent of the average sunshine expected for the month of November, compared with the 23 per cent expected at this stage in the month.

The gloom is expected to clear by Sunday, with sunshine expected to finally arrive.

Mr Dixon said: “What it means for the UK’s weather is that, by Monday, it’s looking like a widely dry and fine day for many with good spells of sunshine, albeit with a touch more patchy cloud in the north of the country.

“But, for the vast majority, a dry and fine day for many with some sunshine, which will feel like it’s much needed after the recent week.”